NFL Draft: Former Florida and Pahokee standout Janoris Jenkins goes to St. Louis in Round 2

After a chaotic college career marked by stardom on the field and trouble away from it, Janoris Jenkins made it to the NFL when the St. Louis Rams selected him with the seventh pick of the second round tonight.
Jenkins, from Pahokee, was projected as an early second-round pick by most analysts. ESPN’s Mel Kiper predicted he would go 40th overall; he went 39th. Three corners were chosen ahead of him. LSU’s Morris Claiborne, South Carolina’s Stephon Gilmore and Alabama’s Dre Kirkpatrick were among the first 17 picks.

Jenkins, 23, is one of the most talented players ever produced by history-rich Pahokee High School and was an instant contributor at Florida. He started three seasons before Gators coach Will Muschamp kicked him off the team a year ago.

He was arrested early in his time at UF for his involvement in a bar fight, but stayed out of public trouble after that until last spring. Instead of declaring for the draft last January, he returned to the Gators for his senior season. He was arrested for marijuana possession shortly after that announcement and again in April.

Coach Will Muschamp kicked him out, prompting him to transfer to North Alabama. Jenkins said he had to sign a zero-tolerance contract with the school, and former UNA coach Terry Bowden said he had no problems with him.

However, questions about his character persisted. The NFL sources said Jenkins admitted in his team interviews that he continued smoking marijuana at North Alabama, NFL.com reported. He denied that last week.